Chapters 8, 9 & 10

I should have posted this much earlier, but like you have been extremely busy. By now you should be through with these chapters; however, I thought I should not skip them in case someone wanted to comment. A couple of thoughts on each Chapter for me;

8-Exhortations To Speedy Repentance

"Be as speedy in your repentance as you would have God speedy in his mercies." pg 86 Wow, How much mercy and applied quickly from God do I expect?
9-The trial of our Repentance, and Comfort for the Penitent
The chapter on Necessary Caution, pg 96 is great. I noted outside of it "Outward sign?" and in my review read the chapter again. Watson here makes the point not to put too much emphasis on Repentance as the Catholics have in making it a sacrament. (remember, we have two ordinances commanded in the Bible, 1.Baptism. 2. The Lord's Supper). This chapter is a great reminder of the blood of Christ. It is not repentance that saves us. Not baptism, not communion, not membership, not a "good" life nor anything else you could claim on judgement day. If you try to claim something other than Christ crucified Hell is guaranteed.  I highly recommend you go back and re-read this chapter.

10.-The Removing of the Impediments to Repentance.

Pg. 104 #9 the next impediment of repentance is fear of reproach. This was so timely last week. I have a friend going through this. He called seeking counsel about old friends running him down for changing his life and not being accessible to them anymore. The very next day I read this chapter. For people that don't believe God speaks, they neither read His word or Godly men He has appointed for our instruction.

In summary, you may be through with the book. I finished up this morning, but did not want to leave these chapters out. I will post next week on Chapters 11 & 12. Thanks again for taking the time and effort to grow in the Doctrines of our Faith.

Chapters 6 & 7 Exhortation and Motives

Vickie and I were talking and she expressed the difficulty in reading and comprehending Old English. I find it poetic, she finds it laborious. Let me encourage you to stick it out. The reason most good Seminaries will have there students read these same classics is because of the knowledge and understanding that can be gained on Doctrinal issues. If you read our first book in this series, The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul, and now this one you are in a very small crowd of learners. Walk up to an average Church goer and ask if they have read either book. If you get a yes he/she probably has a doctoral degree in theology. And here again, there is a reason Seminaries and colleges require it. So let me exhort you and thank you for hanging in there. I have yet to read any of the books in the Christian Classics category and come away thinking that was a waste of time.

For some real exhortation, Chapter 6 is loaded. I haven't got to 7 yet but will and comment later. P.S. The image is not the type exhortation Watson has in mind....I think.

Witches Never Weep. Chapters 5 & 6

This week is chapters 5 & 6. If you are behind don't rush you can easily catch up. Chapter 5 is 3.5 pages. There are 2 great quotes in chapter 5 that I love. One is the title I used for this post and the other is a great truism. I do hope you are enjoying this book as much as I. Stanley English used it in his Sunday School lesson very appropriately this past Sunday. Repentance is a foundational Grace that will effect you.

Chapter 3 & 4 The Nature of True Repentance

These two chapters are titled "The Nature of True Repentance". We learned in Chapter 1 that Repentance is a necessary grace to Salvation. It simply is Repentance and Faith in Christ. We learned in Chapter 2 what Repentance is not, so a logical question is; if I have to have it, then what is it? Sorry about the late Posting. These 2 chapters are a little longer, but you will be rewarded next week, chapter 5 is 2 pages.

We start today

Ok, for everyone following on line, read the first 2 chapters. I will post again around Friday to see how we are doing and a comment or two.

The Doctrine of Repentance

Things that are excellent deserve labor. Will not a man dig for gold in the ore though it makes him sweat? It is better to go with difficulty to heaven than with ease to hell. - Thomas Watson, May 25, 1668.

What a statement. It seems the Christian way is a life of ease, "if I need to know it, the Preacher will tell me." However, that is not what we are called to do. If you are ready, our next Christian Classic is the famous book on repentance by Thomas Watson.Thomas Watson,1620-1686, published 20 something books that are still in print today. The Doctrine of Repentance is a classic in Christian literature.Right at 120 pages, this should be an easy Summer read. Standby, and in the next few weeks I will post a link to obtain the book and then a possible start date.

Chapter 9, God in the Hands of Angry Sinners

This chapter title is a play on the famous Jonathan Edwards sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". During the second Great Awakening of 1740's Mr. Edwards was Pastor at Northhampton, Ma. There were reports that when he preached this sermon men and women would fall out in a terror, some running from the church before he could finish. I encourage you to read it, if you have not. But here in this Chapter Sproul finds us in a different lot. God in the hands of Angry Sinners...interesting.

Chapter 8; Be Holy Because I am Holy

The rubber meets the road in Chapter 8. You are called to be Holy. Not kinda Holy, but set apart and pure. How's it going? This is a great chapter, where you will learn the meaning of Luther's famous declaration "simul justus et peccator." To me it reveals the burden we can not carry at the same time showing how that burden is carried by Christ. A very encouraging chapter. It's short, only about 13 pages but it is packed. So go be Holy, your commanded to, course if you've been Justified the command is not necessary.